Car-step-operating system.



P. D. BLAKE. GAR STEP OPERATING SYSTEM.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1 m R Q i L Inventor by I Attorneys COLUMBIA PLANOURAPH c0" \VASHIN 0000000 c.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 17, 1913 1 ,089, 1 06. Patented Mar. 3, 1914.

F. D. BLAKE.

GAR STEP OPBRATIKG SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED OUT. 17, 1913.

1,089, 1 O6. Patented Mar. 3, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHBET 2.

Witnesses Inventor N f by fizz/ 4.

Attorneys P. D. BLAKE.

GAR STEP OPERATING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED 0(JT.17I 191s.

Patented Mar. 8, 1914.

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IIIII/IIIIIIII" WIIIII iii iia M Inventor Attorneys I vii n Inuit 2 mm N E T Kmw A L B EE .HF D N w PE TO SI RT.- n A 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Attorneys Witnesses ED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRED D. BLAKE, OF CHARLOTTE, NORTH. CAROLINA, ASSIGNOR 'IO BLAKE GAR STEP COMPANY, OF CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA.

CAR-STEP-OPERATING SYSTEM.

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Specification'of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 3, 1914.

Application filed. October 1'7, 1913. Serial No. 795,767.

To all whom it may concern I Be it known that I, FRED D. BLAKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Charlotte, in the county of Mecklenburg and State of North Carolina, have invented a new and useful Car-Step-Operating System, of which the following is a specifica tion.

lhis invention relates to systems for operating folding car steps of the general type disclosed in Patent #1,063,643, issued to me on June 3, 1913.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide means whereby should one or more of the folding extension steps be in projected. or active positions, the application of power to the car and the resultant rotation of one of its axles or of a corresponding part, will cause all of the steps to be automatically elevated to folded positions without requiring the attention of any person upon or adjacent the car.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings :Figure 1 is a plan view of a car having the present improvements combined therewith, parts of the car being broken away. Fig. 2 is a side elevation with parts broken away of a car with the present improvements combined therewith. Fig. 3 is a section through the steps of a car and showing the extension steps and adjacent parts of the operating system in elevation, said steps beingprojected downwardly and outwardly to active position. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 3, the middle portions of the steps being removed. Fig. 5 is an elevation of the step operated controlling valve. Fig. 6 is a section on line A-B Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is an enlarged section through one of the check valves of the apparatus. Fig. 8 is a detail view of the latch operating plunger, its housing being shown partly in section. Fig. 9 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation of the cam controlled valve. Fig. 10 is a view showing diagrammatically a modified system electrically controlled. Fig. 11 is an enlarged section through one of the electrically operated valves of said modified system and the adjacent plungers controlled thereby. Fig. 12 is an elevation of one of the step locking devices adapted to be operated by a plunger.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference G designates a portion of a car structure, the same being provided with the usual platforms 1) from which extend the fixed steps E. Hangers F depend from the lowermost fixed step E and foldable extension steps G are supported by these hangers. A shaft H is journaled back of the fixed steps and has arms I extending radially therefrom, these arms being connected to the lowermost step G by links J. A longitudinally slotted crank arm K extends from shaft H and is engaged by an actuating rod L extending upwardly close to the platform. Theparts are so constructed and arranged that when the rod L is depressed, the crank arm K causes shaft H to rotate, thus swinging arms I downwardly and outwardly and pressing, through the links J against the steps G so as to move them downwardly and outwardly to extended or active positions, as shown in Fig. 8. A weight M is secured to the shaft H and is so shaped as to extend outwardly from a vertical line extending through the shaft H so that this weight serves normally to hold the arms I swung rearwardly and upwardly and the steps G elevated to folded positions. hen the steps G are lowered and extended to active positions, the weight M is raised to the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3 and by full lines in Fig. l but this weight is always in position to promptly fold the steps as soon as the shaft H is unlocked.

The parts hereinbefore described do not, specifically, constitute any part of the present invention but have been fully disclosed in my patent hereinbefore mentioned.

In order that the steps G may be locked in extended or active positions, a finger 1 is extended from the shaft II and is adapted to bear upwardly against a latch 2 in the form of a strip which is pivotally supported at its intermediate point as shown at 3, the upper end of the latch being pivotally connected, as at 4, to a rod or plunger 5 to which a piston 6 is connected. This piston is mounted for reciprocation within a cylinder 7 and and a spring 8 bears at one end against the piston and its other end against one head of the cylinder and serves thus to normally hold the rod 5 retracted into the cylinder 7 and the lower end of the latch 2 normally projected into the path ofthefinger 1. Thus it will be seen that when the steps G are lowered in the manner hereinbefore described, the finger 1, which rotates with shaft H, will slip downwardly past the lower end of the latch 2 and said latch will immediately spring back into engagement with the finger, thus holding said finger against upward movement as shown in Fig. 3, and, consequently, fastening the steps G in lowered positions.

A valve casing 9 is suitably supported back of the steps E and is provided with an inlet port 10, an outlet port 11, and a vent 12. A t-hreeway valve 13 is mounted for rotation within the casing 9 and is so constructed that, with the outlet 11 in communication with the vent 12 through the valve 13, said valve can be given a one quarter rotation in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 6, thus to bring the inlet 10 and the outlet 11 into communication and close the vent 12. This last position of the valve has been shown in Fig. 6.

The stem lt of the valve has a longitudinally slotted arm 15 extending radially therefrom and slidable in this slotted arm is a pin or projection 16 extending from the rod L. The parts are so disposed relative to each other that when the steps G are raised or folded and the rod L is consequently raised, the valve 13 will be positioned to maintain the outlet 11 and the vent 12 in communication. WVhen, however, the rod L is pushed downwardly to lower or extend the steps G, the valve 13 is rotated to close vent l2 and to place the ports 10 and 11 in communication.

It is to be understood that each of the sets of steps used in connection with a car is provided with the mechanism hereinbefore described. In other words, an ordinary passenger coach or railway car will be provided with four sets of apparatus such as hereinbefore described, one set being located at each side of each platform. It will be noted furthermore, from the foregoing description, that the extension or folding steps G of each set can be independently lowered by means of a rod L and will be automatically locked when lowered, by the fingers 1 coming into engagement with the lower ends of the spring controlled latches 2, as shown in Fig. 3.

In order that all of the steps G of the different sets of steps may be simultaneously raised or folded as soon .as the car starts to travel in either direction, a novel controlling system has been devised. In the structure illustrated in Figs. 1 to 9 inclusive, the air of the car brake system is the sole medium employed for releasing the lowered steps when the car starts. By referring to Fig. 1 it will be seen that the auxiliary tank N of the car brake system has a pipe 17 extending therefrom .and opening into a line pipe 18 which is extended toward the two ends of the car. Each end of the line pipe is provided with branches 19 extending to the in lets 10 of the valve casings 9 associated with the adjoining sets of steps E and G. Another line pipe 20 is provided and the ends of this pipe open into a valve casing 21 preferably T-shaped. Branch pipes 22 extend in opposite directions from each valve casing 21 and to the outlet ports 11 of the adjacent valve casings 9. A check valve 23 is mounted for reciprocation within the casing 21 and is adapted to close communication between the line pipe 20 and either of the branch pipes 22, as will be apparent by referring to Fig. 7.

The line pipe 20 is provided at a point between its ends with a valve casing 24, simi lar to the casing 21 and from which extends the branch pipes 25. A check valve 26 is mounted for reciprocation in the casin 2% and is similar to the valve 23 hereinbefore referred to, this check valve 26 being adapted to close either end of the casing 24:.

The branch pipes 25 open into a casing 27 which is suitably supported upon the car Structure and is provided with a piston 28 mounted for reciprocation. A rod 29 is connected to the piston and is pivotally attached, as at 30, to the upper end of a lever 31 fulcruined between its ends, as shown at 32. This lever is provided, at its lower end, with a cam 33 having diametrically opposed convex arcuate portions concentric with the axis of the cam and spaced apart by diametrically opposed concaved portions, the convex portions being indicated at 3st and the concave portions at 35. One of the concave portions 35 is weighted, as shown at 36 so that when the cam is hanging freely within the lever 31, it will always automatically assume the position indicated in Fig. 9 with one concaved portion at the bottom and the other at the top of the cam. A spring 37 is housed in the casing 27 and bears at one end against the piston 28 and at its other end against one head of the casing 27, this spring serving to hold piston 28 normally pressed toward the inlet 33 to which branch pipe 25 is connected. Casing 27 has an outlet 39 from which extends a pipe 40 and the said pipe 40 is connected to a line pipe 41. Oppositely extending branch pipes 42 are provided at each end of the line pipe 41 and each of these branch pipes opens into one end of .the adjacent casing 7.

Let it be presumed that all of the steps G are folded out of active positions. With the steps thus located the valves 13 are in position to maintain communication between pipes 22, outlets 11 and vents 12. Consequently any air contained within the line pipe 20, branch pipes 22 and 25 and casing 27 is free to leak'from the system. Consequently spring 37 will push the piston 28 toward the inlet 38 and will swing lever 31 so as to hold the cam 33 spaced from the car axle shown in Fig. 9. The cam when thus suspended will be disposed with. its weighted portion lowermost. As soon as one of the folding steps G is lowered in the manner hereinbefore described, the valve 13 is rotated, thereby closing vent 12 and establishing communication between pipes 19 and 22. Consequently the air contained in tank N under pressure will flow immediately into the line pipe 18 and into that pipe 19 connected to the open valve 13. The air will pass through valve 13 to pipe 22 and will shift the check valve 23 longitudinally in the casing 21 so as to close the opposed branch pipe 22. The air wil then flow into line pipe and shift check valve 26 so as to close the opposite end of casing 24. From this casing 2 1- the air will flow by way of branch pipe into the casing 27 and will shift the piston 28 longitudinally against the action of spring 37 and until the cam 3 1 is brought into contact with axle O, as shown in Fig. 9. This cam is held pressed tightly against the axle by the air.

while one set of steps G is lowered, one or more of the other sets can be lowered in the manner hereinbefore described but such action will not effect the circulation of air within the system. This is due to the fact that the remaining parts of the system have been automatically cut out by the check valves 23 and 26. As soon as the car starts to move in either direction the axle U will rotate and, by reason of the frictional engagement between the axle and the cam 33, said cam will be rotated until one of the concaved portions is brought opposite the axle whereupon further movement of the cam toward the axle under the action of the air pressure will result, this movement being suiiicient to move the piston 28 past the outlet 39, thus bringing the inlet 38 into communication with the outlet 89. As soon as the air enters the outlet 39 it flows to the line pipe 11 and is distributed through the various branch pipes 42 to all of the casings 7 where the pistons 6 will be shifted longitudinally and actuate the latches 2, thereby removing the lower ends of the latches from the paths of the fingers 1. As soon the fingers are thus released the weights M will automatically fold the steps G in the man nor hereinbefore described and rotate the valve 18 until the ports 11 are brought into communication with the vents 12. Thus the air contained within the casing 27 and the casings 7 will be free to leak therefrom and the springs S and 37 will automatically return the pistons 6 and 28 respectively to their normal positions whereupon the apparatus becomes reset and can again o-perat. in the manner hereinbefore described.

Instead of utilizing the apparatus disclosed heretofore, a modified system such as illustrated in Figs. 10 to 12 inclusive can be employed. This system includes means under the control of an electric controller used in starting and stopping a car, for op erating means whereby the lowered folding steps are automatically released and permitted to fold to inactive positions as soon as power is applied to the motor.

By referring to Figs. 10 to 12, it will be seen that a line pipe 13 is connected, as by a pipe 4 1, to the auxiliary tank 15 of an air brake system. Each end of the line pipe l3 opens into a valve casing 16 in which are formed oppositely extending passages 17. The position of one of the pipes 4C3 relative to the casing 46 has been clearly indicated in Fig. 11. Communication between the line pipe 13 and the passages 17 is normally closed by a spring pressed valve 48 connect ed to the armature 49 of a magnet 50.

Each of the passages t? opens into a casing 51 and mounted to reciprocate in each casing a piston 52. A spring bears at one end against the piston and at its other end against the outer head of the casing 51, thus serving to hold the piston normally pressed toward the casing 46. A red 5a extends from each piston 52 and is connected to one end of a latch or lever similar to the lever heretofore disclosed at 2. A finger is mounted to rotate with the shaft ll heretofore referred to, this finger being similar to the finger 1. It will be noted that the magnet 50 is arranged in a casing 57 and that this casing has an air vent In Fig. 10 the car to which the improve ments have been applied has been designated generally at l and a controller has been designated at Q, one of these controllers being located at each end of the car, as ordinarily. The lingers 50 adjacent each end of the car are grounded to the car and the adjacent magnet 50 is electrically connected through wires 59 or their equivalents to the latch members and to a suitable junction box 60. The ground connections to the fingers 56 are indicated at 61.

It will be understood that under normal conditions the latch members 55 are in position to be engaged by the fingers 56, they being held. in such positions by the springs l' i hen one of the folding steps is moved downwardly and outwardly to active position, shaft H is rotated, as heretofore described, thus causing the fingers 56 to move downwardly against and into engagement with the adjacent latch 55. Thus the steps will not only be locked in lowered positions but an electric connection will be established between the magnet 50 controlling said steps, the latch member 55 and rounded finger 56, and the junction box 60. Obviously, therefore, when the controller Q is actuated for the purpose of starting the car, a circuit will be established through the contacting latch member 55 and finger 56 to one of the magnets which, being energized will shift its armature so as to cause the valve 48 to open. Air from tank 45 will thus rush into passa es 47 and against the pistons 52, thereby shifting the rods 54: longitudinally so as to swing the latch members or levers 55 outof engagement with the fingers 56. Consequently, the circuit will be broken and the steps, which are con stantly overbalanced by the weights M, will fold out of active positions.

It is to be understood that one or more sets of folding steps can be secured in lowered or active positions as hereinbefore described and, by providing the peculiar apparatus set forth, the steps will all be folded simultaneously in the manner hereinbefore set forth when the car is started through the manipulation of one of the controllers.

lVhat is claimed is z- 1. The combination with foldable car steps, means for holding the steps in extended position, and means for automatically folding the steps when released, of means operated by air under pressure for actuating the holding means to release the steps, and means operated by the application of motive power to the car, for controlling the application of air under pressure to said releasing means.

2. The combination with folding car steps, means for holding them in extended position, and means for automatically folding the steps when released from the holding means, of a plunger operatively connected to the holding means, and means controlled by the application of motive power to the car, for directing fluid under pressure against the plunger to actuate the plunger and release the extended steps.

3. The combination with foldable car steps, means for fastening them in extended positions, and means for automatically folding the steps when released, of a pressure tank, means operated by pressure from the tank for releasing the holding means, and means operated by the starting of the car for controlling the application of pressure to said releasing means.

4. The combination with separate sets of folding car steps, separate means for holding the respective sets in lowered positions, and separate means for automatically folding the respective sets of steps when released, of releasing means connected to each of said holding means, and means controlled by the starting of the car for applying fluid under pressure to all of the releasing means.

5. The combination with folding car steps, means for holding the steps in lowered position, and means for automatically folding the steps when released from the holding means, of a plunger connected to the holding means, a pressure tank, separate valves for cutting off communication between the pressure tank and the plunger, said steps when moving to lowered position, constituting means for opening one of the valves, and means controlled by the rotation of a car axle for opening the other valve.

6. The combination with a folding car step, means for locking it in lowered position, and means for automatically returning it to folded position when unlocked, of a plunger connected to the locking means, a pressure tank, means for conducting fluid under pressure from the tank to the plunger, separate valves for controlling the passage of fluid through said means, means op erated by the lowering of the step for opening one of the valves, to direct pressure against and to shift the other valve, and means shiftable by the last named valve against, and controlled by the rotation of a car axle for releasing the shifted valve to full open position.

7. The combination with a folding car step, means for locking the step in lowered position, and means for automatically folding the step when unlocked, of a plunger connected to the locking means and constituting a releasing element, a pressure tank, a pipe connection between the pressure tank and the plunger, a valve for controlling the flow of pressure through the pipe, means operated by the steps for opening the valve when the steps are lowered, a second valve for receiving pressure there when the other valve is opened, a controlling device shiftable by said second valve, when under pressure, to contact with an axle of the car, said device and axle cooperating to release the second valve to full open position and direct pressure against the plunger when the axle rotates.

8. The combination with folding car steps, means for locking them in lowered positions, and means for automatically folding the steps when unlocked, of a releasing plunger connected to the locking means, a pressure tank, a pipe connection between the tank and the plunger, separate valves for controlling the flow of pressure through the pipe connection, means operated by the steps when lowered, for opening one valve and directing pressure against the other valve to shift it, a controlling device movable by the shifted valve against an axle of the car, said device and axle cooperating, during the rotation of the axle to release the shifted valve to full open position, and complete communication between the pressure tank and the releasing plunger to unlock the steps.

9. The combination with folding car steps, means for looking them in lowered positions, and means for automatically folding the steps when unlocked, of a releasing plunger connected to the locking means, a pressure tank, a pipe connection between the tank and the plunger, separate valves for controlling the flow of pressure through the pipe connection, means operated by the steps when lowered, for opening one valve and directing pressure against the other valve to shift it, a controlling device movable by the shifted valve against an axle of the car, said device and axle cooperating during the to tation of the axle to release the shifted valve to full open position, and complete com munication between the pressure tank and the releasing plunger to unlock the steps, said step operated valve including means for relieving the pressure upon the valves and plunger when the steps are folded.

10. The combination with sets of folding car steps, and separate means for automatically locking the respective sets of steps in lowered positions, of a pressure tank, a line pipe extending therefrom, branch pipes extending from said line'pipe toward the respective sets of steps, a valve carried by each branch pipe, means operated by the adjacent steps, when lowered, for opening the valve, a second line pipe, branch pipes extending from the respective valves to said second line pipe, check valves at the points of juncture between the said line pipe and its branch pipes, each check valve being shiftable to close either of the adjacent branch pipes, a valve casing connected to said second line pipe, a check valve therein for closing either end of the casing where connected to the line pipe, a branch pipe extending from the valve casing, another line pipe, a branch pipe connecting the valve casing to said last named line pipe, a valve in the last named branch pipe and normally closing it, means connected to the valve and cooperating with an axle of the car for releasing the valve to open the branch pipe, a plunger connected to the locking means of each set of steps, and means for directing air under pressure from the last mentioned line pipe to the respective plunger-s.

11. The combination with folding car steps, means for locking them in lowered position, and means for automatically folding the stops when unlocked, of a plunger connected to the locking means, a pressure tank, a pipe connection between said tank and the plunger a valve for controlling the flow of air through the connection, means operated by the steps when lowered, for opening the valve, a second valve in the pipe connection between the first named valve and the plunger, a lever pivotally connected to said second valve, a weighted cam supported by the lever and shiftable, by pressure against said. second valve, into contact with an axle of the car, and yielding means cooperating with said second valve for holding the cam normally disengaged from the axle said cam and axle cooperating, when in contact, to release said second valve during the rotation of the axle.

12. The combination with folding car steps, means for holding the steps in lowered position, and means for automatically folding the steps when released from the holding means, of a plunger connected to the holding means, a pressure tank, separate valves for cutting off communication be tween the pressure tank and the plunger, said steps when moving to lowered position, constituting means for opening one of the valves, and directing pressure against the other valve to shift it toward its open position, and means movable by said shifted valve against an axle of the car, to limit the shifting of the valve, said axle and means cooperating to release the shifted valve to full open position when the axle rotates.

in testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRED D. BLAKE.

Witnesses SELINA "WrLLsoN, I. E. SIMrsoN.

(topics at this patent. may he obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

